If someone were to come up to me during my freshman year and tell me about who I am now, I would not have believed them. My high school career has been full of ups and downs, but ultimately, it has been a period of growth. These four years have helped shape me into the person I am today.

Any family member, friend or teacher that has known me since my freshman year can attest that I was an extremely quiet and shy student. I kept a low profile and focused on doing well in my classes. One of the best things about that year was my decision to join Stargazer. During my freshman orientation, clubs had tables set up around the cafeteria. I remember sitting with a group of people I kind of knew and seeing the Stargazer table. Nobody else wanted to go over, and I almost did not. However, something pulled me to push through the discomfort and I walked over to the table. I showed up to the first meeting, and the rest is history.

Stargazer is a huge part of my personal growth. Beyond learning that journalism is a passion of mine and deciding to pursue a career in it, I learned a lot about who I can be. I was extremely shy and socially anxious as an underclassman, to the point where I could easily go an entire school day without talking to anyone. Stargazer changed that. It gave me a community, a steadfast group of friends and people who never judge who I am. I learned to get out of my comfort zone and talk to people I did not know through interviews and writing articles. My worldview is continually expanded as I learn new things.

Being the Opinions editor and the News and Opinions editor in my time here, I have learned and been part of the ins and outs of this publication. Everyone here is incredible, and I feel so well equipped for my future in journalism. I will never take that for granted.

In high school, especially in later years, I was influenced in many positive ways by the people around me. My friends helped me see that I could be who I wanted to be. I could wear the clothes I wanted to wear, act the way I wanted. I did not have to conform or fit in with what was “normal.” I learned to embrace the whimsical side of life and have fun. 

Stargazer has been a huge part of my journey towards finding myself. Time and time again I have found myself sitting with this group of people, whether it be during our Monday meetings or a trip down to the state competition, and I have felt so comfortable. Watching others be unapologetically themselves encouraged me to do the same, from unique clothing styles to niche interests. There has been no judgement. Now I am comfortable enough with who I am to put that forward in environments where there might be judgement.

Seeing me now, I am almost unrecognizable from my freshman year. I have gone from trying to lay low and fit in to being exactly who I want to be, whimsy and all. If there is one piece of advice I have for anyone, it would be this: welcome the whimsy.